A new study published in JAMA Network Open found that Black patients were 17.1% less likely and Hispanic patients 16.2% less likely than white patients to receive buprenorphine or naltrexone within six months of a substance use-related health event.
“We’ve seen rising overdoses and rising overdose deaths in racial and ethnic minoritized communities, particularly Black Americans,” said Dr. Utsha Khatri, lead author and assistant professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She attributed much of the disparity to lack of access to effective medications.
The study analyzed data from 176,000 health events across Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and private insurers. It found that patients with government-backed insurance were more likely to receive treatment than those with commercial plans. However, the study did not include methadone, often considered the most effective treatment, due to its strict regulations.
Tracie Gardner, founder of the National Black Harm Reduction Network, pointed to systemic issues: limited health services in communities of color, stigma around medication-assisted treatment, and incarceration policies that often deny access to care. “This medieval stuff is still infused in what we’re calling a 21st-century addiction treatment setting,” she said.
Khatri emphasized the need for culturally sensitive care and expanded Medicaid access. “Not all communities are benefiting equally,” she warned, urging policymakers to protect and expand safety-net programs.
See: “Black, Hispanic patients significantly less likely to receive key addiction medications, study finds” (June 26, 2025)
